Locking center pin for railway cars



' July 12, 1949. G. E. DATH 2,475,660

LOCKING CENTER PIN FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed May 5, 1945 lizvenjor: George I. DQ1111 1 Patented July 12, 1949 LOGKING CENTER PIN FOR RAILWAY CARS" George E. Dath,..Mokena, Ill., assignortoW.

Miner' lnc flhicago, 111., a corporation of Delayware.

Application-May 1945, Serial No. 592,143-

3 Claims; (CL 105'--200).-

This invention relatesit'o improvements inlockiinglcenter'pin fori'railway cars;

The -:main object I of the. invention (is. to provide a bolster locking; center; pin. :for connecting the bodywand-truck bolsters of arailwayrcarcom prisinga pair: of outer sections or. members and a central filler. element; for holding the outer sectionsw'expanded: wherein the. filler element is rotatable to bring the sameinto shouldered em ga'gementiwithmeanson theulower endof one of the outer members of the pin1to.hold saidelement against removal 1 indownward direction with" respect to. the outer sections, and: the other outer! memberis provided: with. means for lockingv the filler element against rotation with I re-.-

spect: to the first named Louter member to maintain the means. for holding the filler element against removal in operative position, the weight of said. second named memberpbeing' utilizedtto hold the same in lockingposition with respect to 1 the filler element.

Other objectsof the invention will more clearly appear from.- the 1 description I and: claims. hereinafter following;

Inrthe drawing forming a part ofzthis specification Figurel is-a longitudinal, vertical sectional view taken through the mid-portions of the body and truck bolsters of a railway car, illustrating I my improvements in. connection therewith, the center. pinbeing shown in: elevation;

pin; Figure 3isa view similar. to Figure 1 with the body bolster omittedand the upper portion I of the. locking eenter" pin broken. away, showing the parts, inn-a somewhat different": position and illustrating themanner of applying the pin.

Figure 4 is a trans-verse, horizontal sectional View lowboss or flange. I3, projectinginto these'ction l2 of the body bolster. The-:sectionllisof substantially tubular form-havingan inwardly projectingflange or rib. M between the; top and bottomiends thereof;

Figur 2. is aztop=plan view oftmydmproved IOCkiIlg center.

The flangedefines-an opening; I 5 adaptedto accommodate.thecenter pin; I Above theflange: My.v the? section. I2 forms 2 a pocket I6 adaptedto accommodate :the I head at the upper endof the pin, The hollow boss I 3 provides a= circular; opening I I I to accommodate the center pinl Theiopening; ll of the truck bolster and the opening I5. of the. body bolster are in axial alignment. Below the. opening ll, thetruck:bolsteris providedr with a pocket I8 having a bottomwalli I9; -=The bottom wall I9 has. an opening 20- therethrough axially aligned with the openings I 5 and I1, butof greater diameter thanlthese openings; Thepocket. Iil'serves the purpose of accommodating. the. head at the bottomen'd ofthetcenterrpinl. As shown in Figure l, the pocket I Blisof great'er size. than theopening I I of the boss 4 3,.therebyfproviding adownwardly-"facing shoulder: 2|: adjacent said opening, which zcooperatesiwith a headat the bottom end of 'the centerpinito restrict. upward movement of the latter. The usual bearing plate or shim, 22 is interposed between the body and truck bolsters aroundathe upwardly projecting boss 1 I 3 of the trucktb'olsten.

My improvedz locking center pin comprises broadlyia pairuofiouterl members .orsections A andiB -andiancentral spreader or filler: element C.

The two outer members or sections A- and. B are of. similar design, except as. hereinafter pointed outLmEach-outer"member; comprises a substantially. semi-cylindrical shank; 23. having heads Miand 25'. at? the; top and bottom ends thereof; The top'liead 24 is in the form of an eccentric; substantially? semi-cylindrical; outstanding flange;.andtthenbottom' 116341325 is in the form of a. concentric, substantially" semicylindrical flange. The members A and B are laterally. spaced; apart at: the. upper: ends and have contact witheach other on their. inner sides atztheir. lower-ends: Themembe'n B. is'laterally inwardly enlargedfatlits lower end,.as indicated at 26, LtolproVidethis. contacti The zone'of contact' is. on. substantially! flat, vertical faces pref erably. of a vertical height" at. least as great. as the thicknessiof the flangeorrhead 25 ofreith'er of' thesetmembersr Immediately above. the zone of." contact; the renlarged portionZti of thememberB inclines awayzfromlthelmember A inlupwardxdirection;.aszindicated; at 2.1. The spaced arrangementxofi the? upper: endrportions of the membersAiand Blpermits collapse of said upper end; portions. ofrthe pin\ to; make possible insertion and'rernovalLofisaidmembers.

The'heads '24..2ii2'at the upper end of the memb'ers Aland Bare made ofsuch-a size and contour that-.they will .passireel-y through :the pin receiving: openings I5: and -ll -of the body and truclg bolsters when these members are inserted or removed in succession from underneath the truck bolster, with the filler member absent so that the upper portion of the center pin may be collapsed. The member A, which is the right band member, as seen in Figure 1, has a depending lug 28 at the lower end thereof. The lug 23 comprises a transversely curved wall 29 and a laterally inwardly directed, horizontal shelf or ledge 38 at the lower end of said wall.

The member B, which is the left hand outer member, as viewed in Figure l, is provided with a pair of depending locking projections or lugs 32-32 at the lower end thereon-which are diametrically opposed to the lug 28 of the member A. The lugs 32-32 are laterally spaced apart, thereby providing an opening or slot therebetween.

The filler element C comprises a cylindrical shank 33 and an eye member 34 at the lower end of the shank. A radially projecting finger or lug 35 extends from one side of the shank 33 above the eye member 34 in spaced relation thereto, and a vertically extending rib 36 projects laterally outwardly from the diametrically opposite side of said head. The rib 36 extends upwardly from the eye member 34 and has its upper end horizontally aligned with the upper side of the lug 35. The finger or lug 35 is of such a length that it overlaps the shelf 30 of the lug 28 when the element C is in the position shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4. The rib 36 is of such a width that it fits the opening between the lugs 32-32 and locks the element C against rotation when the lugs are engaged in straddling relation thereover.

The top end of the shank of the element C is preferably beveled off, as shown, to facilitate insertion of said element between the outer members A and B.

The inner sides of the members A and B are centrally vertically slotted or grooved, as indicated at 37. These slots or grooves are of concave cross section and, when the members A and B of the pin are in assembled position, form a central bore in which the shank 33 of the element C fits loosely and is rotatable.

As will be seen upon reference to Figure 1, when the pin comprising the outer members A and B and the filler element C interposed between said members is applied to the bolsters, the shank of the pin substantially fits the openings i and H of the body and truck bolsters with the heads 24-24 and -25 disposed respectively above the shoulder presented by the flange or rib l4 of the body bolster, and below the shoulder 2| of the truck bolster. The pin is thus held against removal in both downward and upward directions.

In applying the center pin to the bolsters, the member A is first inserted through the openings of the bolsters from underneath the truck bolster and displaced laterally outwardly to engage the heads 24 and 25 thereof with the shoulders of the bolsters. After this has been done, the member B is inserted from underneath the truck bolster, through the bolster openings alongside the member A. As will be evident, the inclined portion 2'! of the member B provides the required clearance to permit inclining of this member to the proper extent to permit the head at the upper end to pass through the bolster opening. When the member B has been fully inserted, it will have been displaced laterally outwardly at its upper end by spreading apart of the lower end of the pin, to bring the head 24 thereof into shouldered engagement with the bolster m, and, due to the fact that the members A and B have their inner side faces adjacent the lower end of the pin contacting, the head 25 at the lower end of the member B will be forced to engage beneath the shoulder of the truck bolster. The member B is then pushed upwardly to the raised position shown in Figure 3 and held in that position by any suitable tool. The filler element C is next inserted between the members A and B from underneath the truck bolster to hold the members of the pin separated and in shouldered engagement with the body bolster. Before application of the element C, it is turned so that the lug or finger 35 and the diametrically opposite rib 36 thereof are in alignment with, and extend lengthwise of, the opening between the lug 28 and the lugs 32-32 at the lower ends of the members A and B. Inasmuch as the finger 35, when in this position, is free to pass the lug 28, the filler element may be shoved upwardly until the finger 35 is brought to a position above the level of the shelf or ledge 38 of the lug 28. With the finger 35 thus positioned above the level of the shelf 30 and the member B in raised position, the element C is given a quarter turn, thereby engaging the finger or lug 35 over the shelf or ledge 30 of the lug 23, and disposing the rib 38 in alignment with the opening between the lugs 32-32 of the member B. The member B is then permitted to drop downwardly to engage the lugs 32-32 over the rib 36, as shown in Figure 1.

The element C is thus securely held against rotation with respect to the members A and B, thereby preventing the finger 35 from moving out of engagement with the shelf or ledge 30, and possible accidental dropping out of the element C from between the members A and B.

In this connection it is pointed out that the outer members A and B of the pin are held against relative rotation or shifting with respect to each other about the vertical axis of the pin by the contact provided on their inner sides at the lower end thereof, thus at all times maintaining the lug 28 and the lugs 32-32 thereof in transverse alignment, thereby assuring proper accommodation of the rib 36 between the lugs 32-32 and finger 35 on the shelf 36 of the lug 28 of the member A.

In removing the center pin, the reverse procedure is followed. The member B is first pushed upwardly to lift the lugs 32-32 out of locking engagement with the rib 33 of the element C. The latter is then given a quarter turn to align the finger 35 thereof with the opening between the lugs of the members A and B. The element C is then withdrawn from between the members A and B by pulling the same downwardly, a hook or similar tool being used for this purpose, the eye 3t: serving as a convenient means for anchor ing the hook. After withdrawal of the filler element, the outer members are removed in succession, the member B being the first withdrawn.

I claim:

1. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center in receiving openings; of a center pin insertable within said openings, said pin including a pair of outer members headed at opposite ends for shouldered engagement with said bolsters, and a central filler element interposed between said outer members for holding the same spaced apart, said filler element being rotatable and having a lateral projection at one side and a locking rib projecting from the opposite side at the lower end thereof, one of said outer members having a depending lug at its lower end provided with a horizontal ledge on which said projection is seated by rotation of said filler element to hold the latter against removal in downward direction, and the other outer member overhanging said rib of said element to restrict upward displacement of the latter and having a pair of laterally spaced,

depending locking lugs engaged over and embracing said rib to hold said element against rotation with the projection thereof seated on said ledge.

2. In car construction, the combination with body and truck bolsters having aligned center pin receiving openings; of a center pin insertable from beneath said truck bolster, said pin comprising outer members headed at opposite ends, and a central filler element between said outer members, said filler element holding the pin expanded with the heads thereof in shouldered engagement with the bolsters, one of said outer members having a retaining ledge on the lower end thereof and the other of said outer members having a downwardly opening seat at its lower end, said filler element having a radially projectin locking finger at its lower end at one side thereof and an upstanding locking projection at the lower end at the other side thereof adapted to fit within said seat, said finger being engaged over said ledge to support said elementagainst downward displacement, said outer member which has the seat overhanging said projection to restrict upward displacement of said element, and

said seat being engaged over said projection, in embracing relation to hold said element against rotation.

3. In a locking pin of the character described, the combination with a pair of elongated outer members having retaining flanges at the top and bottom ends; of a filler element between said outer members, said filler element being rotatable with respect to said members; a supporting ledge at the bottom end of one of said members; a pair of depending, laterally spaced locking lugs on the other of said members, said lugs being laterally spaced apart and opposed to said ledge; a radially projecting locking lug at one side of the lower end of said element adapted to rest on said ledge to support the element against downward displacement; and a. radially projecting, upstanding rib extending from the opposite side of said element, said rib being engageable beneath said other member between said depending lugs to restrict upward displacement of said element and lock said element against rotation with respect to the outer members.

GEORGE E. DATE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Ha l n Aug- 19, 9 1

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